Ray's TD toss carries Eskimos past Stampeders

Jul 4, 2008 - 6:37 AM

EDMONTON, Alberta (Ticker) -- Ricky Ray connected with Jason
Tucker on a 36-yard touchdown with 55 seconds left to play to
lift the Edmonton Eskimos to a 34-31 victory over the Calgary
Stampeders on Thursday.

Ray completed 27-of-41 passes for 448 yards and three scores to
help the Eskimos (1-1) snap a seven-game losing streak dating to
last season.

Calgary took its first lead of the game when Henry Burris hit
Brett Ralph for a 65-yard TD strike that pulled the Stampeders
(1-1) within 26-24 with 9:35 left in the fourth.

Burris later found Nik Lewis on a 20-yard scoring pass for a
31-27 lead with just 1:38 to play, but Ray and Tucker hooked up
late to help the Eskimos avoid losing an eighth straight game
for the first time since 1971.

Kelly Campbell hauled in eight passes for 158 yards and a pair
of scores, and Tucker finished with four catches for 93 yards
for Edmonton.

Burris completed 23-of-35 passes for 330 yards and three TDs but
was picked off two times.